Sorting machine



Sept. 2, 1941. MAUL SORTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1941. M. MAUL 2,254,901

SORTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 {If/IIII/lIl/IIIIIIIIIIIII) x111 ATTORNEYS v 5 sheets- -sheet 4 O O O O O O O O O O O M. MAUL v SORTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1959 Sept. 2, 1941.

INVENTOR 5 v ATTORNEYS Fig. 6

Sept. 2, 1941. .M. MAUL 2,254,901

SORTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1939 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig .9

, INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE SORTING MACHINE felde. German Application May 11, 1939, Serial No. 273,015 In Germany May 25, 1938 -2 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines. for sorting perforated records in which the character representation is provided in a plurality of adjacent card columns. Such records are adapted to represent a plurality of different characters and it is the purpose of a sorting machine to sort such records so as to selectively segregate the records in accordance with the character representation.

One form of record which has, heretofore, been capable of being sorted by machines of a well known type comprises cards which represent the characters in vertical columns. In sorting machines of the well known type the cards to be sortedare passed through the machine in the direction of the columns, that is, the direction of card feed is in the same direction as the card columns. For selecting the columns which are to control sorting operations it has been the usual practice to mount the analyzing device in such a manner that it may be adjusted manually so as to coordinate the analyzing device with the selected card column.

It is further well known that such sorting operations are effected on a large number of records and it is desirable that the output of such machines be high so as to efiect the economical utilization of such machines. For obtaining such high output it is desirable and necessary that the card cycle be as short as possible so that for a given period of time a maximum number of cards may be fed. The cards which are to be sorted by such machines are usually rectangular in shape and the short machine cycle is derived by moving the card through the machine in the direction of its shorter dimension which is parallel to the columnar arrangement or, in other words, transversely with respect to the longer dimension of the card. By feeding cards in this way the card cycle is made as short as possible and permits a relatively high output in sorting operations.

In contradistinction to the type of card heretofore described, the present machine is devised to effect the sorting of cards of a different type. Such records consist of a plurality of superimposed card fields, one arranged above the other, wherein each card field consists of a plurality of card columns for the character representation. Such type of card has been devised for the purpose of a better utilization of card capacity and if cards of this type were sorted by machines of the construction previously described they wo' ld necessarily have to be fed in a direction corresponding to the longer dimension of the record, which would require an extension in the time of machine cycle of operation, or conversely, decrease the output of the sorting machine.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of sorting mecha-'- nism which permits the cards of the last described type to be passed through the machine in the direction of the shorter length of the card, such sorting operations being effected by the successive analysis of the card columns, which are arranged transverse to the direction of card feed. The above construction enables high speed in sorting operations without, however, requiring the card to be passed through the machine in a columnar direction, as would be required by machines heretofore constructed and thus decrease the output in sorting operations.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a manually adjustable means for selecting the card field which is to control sorting operations.

Another object of the present'invention is to provide an lmprovedmeans for effecting the selection of the column in the selected card field which is to control sorting operations. Preferably this consists of a manually adjusted'column selector contact and also a contact member rotating synchronously with the card feed, and

which at each rotation makes contact with the column selector at predetermined times in the machine cycle so as to render the analyzing device effective at the time the selected card col- 'umn is coordinated therewith.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a storing mechanism which consists of two sets of set-up devices. According tothe principle of operation of this storing mechanism the set-up of the character representation will be stored up in the first set during one cycle and transferred to a second storing set to control sorting of the card in a successive cycle.

The first storing set will then be cleared so as to receive a set-up under control of the next card. During the subsequent cycle the asserting of the card analyzed in the preceding cycle will take place and the control of the sorting blades will then be effected by the second set, which as follows from the previous explanation, is adjusted in accordance with the card analyzed with preceding cycle. the set-up of the second set is cleared out. The set-up of the first set will then be transferred to the second set and thereafter, the first storing set will be cleared out.

Obviously, the first storing set receives the set-up under control of the cards, while the second set-up controls the adjustment of the sorting blades in accordance with the card analyzed during the preceding card cycle.

The above arrangement is similar in principle of operation to that disclosed in the patent to Of course, at a certain time code for representing Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts "present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the 1 right end of the machine.

.3 and attention is directed to the fact that. provision is also made for representing the numbers 10, 11 and 12 since for some types of character designation, these" numbers are utilized for representing month, days of months, etc.- The ma Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on I the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. as. a sectional view taken on an enlarged scale and is taken on theline 3-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of an electrical impulse emitter employed in the machine and is I taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

nations of perforations for representing a series of numbers.

Fig. 9 is an electrical wiring diagram of the machine.

Card jeeding mechanism Card feeding operations are effected in a manner which is usual in the type of machine herein disclosed. The driving motor I] drives through a belt a longitudinal driving shaft ll (Fig. 5) which drives by means of worm gears I! .a plurality of sets of transversely arranged feeding rollers l3, best shown in Fig. l. Bymeans of a worm gear 22 (Fig. 2) a shaft 80 is rotated by the driving shaft ll. The shaft 38 (Fig. 1) has a crank arm connection to a slidably mounted frame which carries the usual picker knife If, as shbwn in Fig. 1.. The cards are placed in the magazine which is formed by meansoi' uprights ll so that for each reciprocation of thepicker knife I! a single card will be fed from the bottom of the stack to the first set of feeding rollers ll, thereafter to a set of analyzing brushes .1.

and from said analyzing brushes, by means of.

the remaining sets of card feeding rollers ll, to sorting blades and .thence to a selected card pocket. When the leading edge of the perforated card leaves the second set of rollers. it'is fed beneath the staggered ends "of the electromagnetically actuated sorting blades so that by the positioning of the sorting blades, in a manner to be subsequently explained. the card will be fed by the other sets of rollers I! .to a selected card pocket. Each of the card pockets, as best shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a spring-urged bottom plate 24- upon which the sorted cards fall and in accordance with the weight of the cards deposited thereon, the bottom 24 will accordingly be positioned.

Form of cards to be sorted Figure 7 is an illustration .of the preferred form of record capable of being sorted by the present machine and comprises three superimposed card fields, each of said card fields comprising fifteen columns for the representation of a corresponding number'of characters. The the digits is shown in Fig.

chine is provided with thirteen sorting pockets, only two of which are shown in Fig. 11, but all are shown in Fig. 6. As is usual in the type of machine herein disclosed an extra sorting-pocket, I

which is termed a reject pocket B, Fig. 6, is also provided for receiving imperforate cards, and also cards of those groups which are not to be sorted out Card analyzing means The cards are fed through the machine in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 9 so that for a selected card field the card columns will be analyzed'column by column. in the direction of the arrow, which corresponds to the shorter dimension of the card. To 'eifect the successive analysis of the card columns the card analyzing brushes are arranged transversely of the directiori of card feed so as to intercept such holes. The analysis of the card columns is preferably eflectedelectrically by means of a series of four analyzing brushes l8 which are carried by a brush holder I5 and the analyzing brushes comprise flexible wires which press upon the card so as to pass through the holes at the index point positions and make electrical contact with a contact plate IT. The analyzing brushes I. thereby concurrently analyze the holes arranged in each card column. J

Selection of card fields As previously described, the cards to be sorted which is operable exterior of the machine so that bymoving the handle 4| laterally the analyzing brushes may be coordinated with a selected card field. The rod I4 is provided with three grooves 42 (Fig. 2) and cooperating with such'grooves so as to impositively retain thebrush holder ll in a desired position is a spring-pressed aligning ball (see Fig. 1). As shown in Fig. 2, the intermediate card field will be an lyzed by the position of the brushholder l5, shown in this figure but by manually positioning the brush holder I! to either the left or right, as viewed inFig. 2, the analyzing brushes I! will be coordinated with the respective card field."

For the purpose of providing continuous elec-' trical contact with the brushes i6 irrespective of the position of the brush holder IS, the latter carries contact springs 44 (Fig. 1) which have electrical contact with the respective brushes I! and also bear against current supply bars 4! carried by a stationary bar of insulating material. By the above construction, current maybe transmitted to the brushes from the bars 45 in the different positions of the brush holder l5.

Selection of controlling card column of selected card field The construction of the selecting, mechanism provided for selecting a certain card column of a selected card field is best disclosed in Figs.

2 and 9. Upon a shaft 58 which is journaled in a pair of side frame plates 46 and which extends to the right from the right-hand frame plate 46, as best shown in Fig. 2, there is loosely mounted thereon a sleeve 48. To the sleeve 48 there is tion of the sorting mechanism will be given 7 herein.

and the sleeve 48 will be rotated a single revolution. To the sleeve 48 there is secured a disc 5| formed of some suitable insulating material and carrying a contact point 52. The contact point 52 is in electrical contact with a current supply ring which is carried by the insulating disc 5| and against this current supply ring there is urged a spring-pressed contact ball 51, as best shown in Fig. 2, but shown diagrammaticallyin Fig. 9 as aresiliently urged contact plate 51. By means of the above construction electrical current is continuously conducted to the contact point 52 during the rotation of the disc 5|.

Secured to the shaft 50 is a disc 54 of insulating material and which carries a springpressed contact member 53, the left end of which (seeFig. 2) makes continuouselectrical contact with a current supply' ring 55, and the right end of which is adapted at a certain time to make electrical contact with'the aforementioned contact point 52.

To the shaft'50 there is secured an indicator 3| bearing the numbers 1 to 15, inclusive, and which are individually visible through an aperture provided in a cover plate for the indicator 3|. To the shaft 50 there is also secured a knob 32 by means of which the shaft 50 may be rotated to a position which corresponds to the selected card column which is to control sorting operations. The disc 54 is provided with fifteen l aligning notches against which bears a spring urged aligning member 56 which impositively holds the disc 54 in a desired position. Since, for each card field there are fifteen columns, the disc 54 may be adjusted so as to bring the contact member 53 to any one of fifteen different positions, so that during each revolution of the disc 5| the rotatable contact element 52 will make contact with the adjustable contact member 53 at a point in the cycle when the selected card column is coordinated with the analyzing brushes I6.

Therefore, with a desired adjustment of the knob 32, corresponding to the selected card column, an electrical contact will be made by the column selecting mechanism, which has just been described, at a point in the cycle corresponding to the coordination of the selected card column with the analyzing brushes thereby closing at such time in the card cyclea circuit from a wire ||l| through the column selecting mechanism to a wire I82, as diagrammatically shown in Fig, -9.

Sorting mechanism be had for further details of construction and operation. However, in order to more clearly understand the present invention a general descrip- Resting upon the armature of a sorting magnet 2| (Fig. 1) are the staggered ends 33 of a plurality of sorting blades, there being provided one sorting blade for each of the sorting pockets, and the left end of each blade terminates at the respective sorting pocket so as to cause the card to be sorted to be guided into the related sorting pocket. In the event that the sorting magnet 2| is not energized, and its armature will remain unattracted, the card will befed by the rollers l3 beneath the-staggered ends 33 of all of the sorting blades and, guided by the armature of the magnet 2| and a sorting blade, the feeding rollers l3 will thereupon feed such card to the first pocket R shown in Fig. 6; and which pocket is usually known as the reject pocket.

However, in the event that the sorting magnet 2| is energized, at the time of its energization the leading edge of the card will be fed by the rollers I3 so as to be beneath a certain number of the ends 33, and the attraction of the armature of the magnet 2| will permit the ends of the' remaining sorting blades to move downwardly since they are not held upwardly by the card to be sorted. As the card is fed further the card will be fed above such sorting blades, and will be guided by one of the sorting blades so as to be disposed in the related sorting pocket. ,In general, the position of the leading edge of the card with relation to the ends of the sorting blades at the instant of the energization of the sorting magnet 2| will determine into which sorting pocket the card will be guided. For carrying out this operation the sorting magnet 2| must be energized by receiving electrical impulses effected at differential times in accordance with the characters or digits which are to control sorting operations. This is obtained by means of an emitter which is shown diagrammatically in the lower right-hand corner in Fig. 9 and ina sectional view in Fig. 4. The emitter consists of stationary contact points 8| and a rotating switch member 82.' From Fig. 4, it will be noted that the rotatable switch member 82 is carried by the disc 5| and thereby rotates synchronously. with the feeding of the card. Current is supplied to the switch member 82 by means of a current supply ring 84 against which presses a spring contact ball 83 carried by the disc 5|, and said springpres'sed contact ball 83 is in electrical connection with the switch member 82. This construction is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9 and in constructional detail in Fig. 2. I

Combinational hole translator The translator is, preferably, of a construction which is well known and which constitutes the second storing set of the storing mechanism as well as the devices for controlling the sorting mechanism. The constructional details plate 50 (Fig. 5) and each is provided with an armature II which, upon its attraction due to the energization of the related magnet 90, will unlatch a pawl 8| which is, thereupon urged by a related spring 63 so as to cause ashoulder of the pawl ii to pass beneath one arm of a bell 5 crank 69. The bell cranks 69 are pivotallyq mounted on the "frame plate 60 and the lower depending arms have pin and slot connections to a common operating'bar 68 which is operated by means of a cam" 01. 10 Pivotally mounted to the pawls 6| are push rods l2 which are slidably mounted and normally held upwardly by means oi coil springs surrounding the rods. 'I'he upward movement of each push rod 82 to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 9 is limited by means of any suitable stop device, such as a pin carried by the push rod 82. The lower end of the push rod 62 when depressed is adapted to rock a related arm 84 against the action of a compression spring 65 thereby permitting certain of the translator contacts 10 to open and causing certain other, of said translator contacts 10 to close.

A common operating bar 12 which is reciprocated by means of a cam Ii carries pins 13 cooperating with the upper ends of latch arms 66 so that by themovement of the bar 12 to the right the latch arms 66' will be rocked thereby unlatching the previously rocked arms 64. In the event that a related magnet 90 has been energized the movement of the bar 68 to the left will rock the respective bell crank 69 and since the related pawl 8| has been unlatched it will depress the respective push rod 62 downwardly so as to engage the horizontal arm of the arm I thus positioning the contacts 10 from their normal positions.

A common operating bar I5 whichis actuated by the cam ll serves the purpose of restoring the pawls I to such position that they will again be normally latched by the armatures ill of the electromagnets 90a Manner of operation of the machine.

It will be recalled thata series of cards which are to be sorted are placed in the supply hopper W and such cards are fed singly from the supply hopper to the analyzing brushes and when a selected column of each card is coordinated with the analyzing brushes a circuit will be closed as will now be described in connection with th wiring diagram shown in Fig. 9.

This circuit extends from one line side I00 to wire illl, current supply ring 53, springpressed contact member 54, contact. point '52, current supply ring 5|, contact member 51, wire I02, card lever contacts 29 (which are shown in Fig. 1 and'are of a form well known in the art), wire I03, contact plate II, throughffthe analyzing brushes II which pass through'the holes in the selected card column, through wires I connected to the brushes it which pass through such holes, to the respective magnets 90, and wire I05 to the other line side llll. By the above described circuit certain of the magnets 90 will be energized. Each electrom-agnet it which is energized will attract its related armature 91 thereby unlatching, as previously described, the related pawl H which, thereupon, J

'is urged by its spring 83 to cause its shoulder to 70.

pass beneath the horizontal arm of the related bell crank 69. v

In the showing of Fig. 5, it has been assumed that the previous card analyzed and which is to be sorted represented the numeral 6. Accord- 75 cle of operation of the machine this caused the rocking of the related arms. 64 and the latching i thereof by means of the latch arms 68 so that the translator contacts 10 related to such index point positions will have been adjusted as shown in Fi 5, and by means of the-latch arms it remain in such adjusted position so as .to cause the sorting of this card.

The translator contacts I0 which are adjusted are held adjusted a sufficient length of time so as to permit sorting of all of the cards representing the digits 0 to 9, inclusive,and 10, 11, and 12, it being noted that for the sorting of cards representing "0 the card travels'almost the complete distance occupied by the staggered ends 33 of the sorting blades before the sorting magnet 2l is energized. When the translator contacts I0 have been adjusted and remain in adjusted position until the sorting of the cards is completed the translator contacts are restored to normal bythe unlaching of the arms 84. This is effected, as previously described, by means of the cam 1| which rocks the bar 72 causing the rocking of the latching arm 68 and the unlatching of the arms .64 which are thereupon urged by their spring 65 to occupy their normal positions. In this manner the translator contacts 10 are restored to normal position so they may be in such a condition for a previous and subsequent adjustment in accordance with the next card to besorted.

It is also assumed that the next card which passes through the machine represents the number 12 which is represented by holes located at the first, second, and third index point positions, as will be clear from Fig. 8.

When such card is coordinated with the analyzing brushes the electromagnets designated 1,

II, and III will be energized thereby unlatching the related pawls GI and causing the springs 63 to rock them to the position shown in Fig. 5. This completes the adjustment of the first stor ing set and there will then be eiiected the transfer of the adjustment of the first storing set to the second storing set.

When the last card column of the card has passed the analyzing brushes It the bar ll will be moved to the left as viewed in Fig, 5 thereby rocking all of the bell cranks 88 in a clockwise direction. Thus those pawls 8| which have been unlatched will now be rocked downwardly there by depressingthe related push rods 82 to effect the' rocking oi the related arms 64 and secure the desired .adjustment of the translator contacts 10. Due to the fact that the arms are latched by the pawls 66 in their positions pf adjustment. the adjustment of the translator contacts II will be retained irrespective of the fact that th coil springs surrounding rods 82 are eflective to restorethe push rods 82 upwardly which ,will be permitted when the common operating bar II is restored to its right-hand normal position under control of its operating cam 61. Thereafter the restorationof the pawls 'BI is effected by means of the cam 14 which efl'ects a reciprocation of the bar 15 so that thepawls II are all .rocked to their normal positions so that they may again be latched by their respective armatures 9|, placing the parts of the flrst'storing set. in normal decks, and wherein the deck arrangement and condition for the subsequent adjustment effected by the next card to pass through the machine.

The adjustment of the translator contacts '10 has been completed at a time in the cycle of operation of the machine when the leading edge of a card is close to the terminating end 33 of the sorting blade which'leads to the 1 2 pocket. Since it is assumed in the previous explanation that the card to be sorted represented the number 12, at the time the translator contacts I have been adjusted and the card to be sorted is close to the 12 sorting blade, the switch member 82 will be in electrical contact with the 12 contactpoint 8| which is connected to the 12 line of the translator. A circuit will be completed which is described as follows: from the line side I00, wire I06, to the translator contacts 10 which have been closed so as to convert the combinational reading to a single reading, to the 12 line, the related contact point 8 the switch contact 82, the current supply ring 84, wire I01, the magnet of a relay I20, wire I08, sorting magnet 2|, and wire I09 to the other line side H0. The sorting magnet 2| will thereupon be energized and a stick circuit therefore will be closed through the relay contacts |2|, wire 2, cam operated contacts I to the line side I00. The contacts I are closed by means of a cam 16 at the desired time so as to close the holding circuit just described.

The energization of the sorting magnet 2| will cause the feeding of the card so that it will be directed by the appropriate sorting blade into the 12 pocket.

Assuming that the card to be sorted represents it will be obvious that the translator contacts are so adjusted so as to select the "5.

relay I20 are deenergized at the time the translator contacts 10 of the second storing set are restored to normal by the opening of contacts l which is effected under control of the cam 16. 'I'hereupon the armature of the sorting magnet 2| will be positively restored to its normal position by means of a cam 28. This cam is secured to one of the feed roller shafts of one of the sets-of feeding rollers'l3, as is shown in Fig. 1.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its' operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cyclically operable sorting machine controlled by individual records, one to be passed through the machine in each cycle of machine operation, each of said records comprising a plurality of superposed decks of perforations arnumber of columns make the records longer in a direction parallel to said columns, the combination of analyzing means common to all of said decks and coordinated in succession with the columns of a selected deck, means for selectively associating a selected deck with said analyzing means, means for feeding said records past said analyzing means in a direction transverse of said columns, sorting mechanism controlled by said analyzing means for sorting the records according to a selected column, a member for controlling the efi'ectiveness of said analyzing means, means for moving said member synchronously with the successive coordination of the record columns with said analyzing means for causing said analyzing means to be eilective for analysis at the time a selected record column of a selected deck is coordinated with the analyzing means,

and record column selecting means comprising I an adjustable device having different settings, each setting corresponding to a selected record column, for causing by a setting thereof a joint cooperation with said member to render said analyzing means effective at the time the selectcd column is coordinated therewith, whereby the feeding of the record transverse to the direction of its columns and the joint cooperation of said selecting means and member enables the sorting of each record in a cycle of operation of the machine having a duration governed by the shorter dimension of the record.

2. In a cyclically operable sorting machine controlled by individual records, one to be passed through the machine in each cycle of machine operation, each of said records comprising a plurality of superposed decks of perforations arranged in columns which are transverse to said decks and wherein the deck arrangement and number of columns make the records longer in a direction parallel to said columns, the combination of analyzing means common to all of said 0 ranged in columns which are transverse to said 7 decks and successively coordinated 'with'the columns of a selected deck, means for selectively associating a selected deck with said analyzing means, means for feeding said records past said analyzing means in a direction transverse of said columns, sorting mechanism controlled by said analyzing means for sorting the records according to a selected column, a contact member for closing a circuit to said analyzing means, means for moving said contact member synchronously with the successive coordination of the record columns of a selected deck with said analyzing means to provide a circuit closing position for each record column, and record column selecting means comprising an adjustable device including a supplemental contact member having different settings determined by the adjustable device, each setting corresponding to a selected 

